Unplanned

Chapter 5: Gallagher's Stick Together

  Three days later Ian left the hospital with new pills, a disease that had ruined his family countless times and the knowledge that he was carrying not one but two babies. Needless to say he was fucking terrified of facing his family. Before though he needed to phone Mandy, his friend that he had just left after promising to protect.

  Mandy picked up the phone scarily fast but then he supposed that knowing her she wouldn't have given up and that she would have been waiting for the call.

  "Ian?" she asked straight away.

  "Yeah Mandy, I'm so sorry but I can explain," Ian rushed out.

  "You better you mother fucker... It's - just give me a minute, yeah it's him," she sounded angry before trailing off obviously talking to someone in the background.

  "Who's that?" Ian asked.

  "Fiona, we've been worried sick," she replied.

  "I'm really sorry, I'm on my way back now and I promise I'll explain once I get back."

  "You better and it better be good."

  "I promise Mandy, I'm so sorry."

***

  Ian ran his hand nervously over the gate, stalling and prolonging the time before he would have to open it and actually go through into the garden. After another moment he finally managed it, taking a deep breath and walking up to the door. Another deep breath and he was opening the door, dropping his bag down onto the floor and making his way over to the kitchen were he could see all of his siblings plus Kev, V and Mandy.

  At that moment, Mandy turned and saw him, crying out and suddenly they were all on him. They were all pressing into him and saying things like "we missed you", "are you okay?" and "where have you been?". Despite that he could only feel numb as he faced his family, the fear about what he was about to tell them welling up.

  "Holy shit you've put on weight. Don't think I've ever seen a Gallagher so tubby. No offence," V commented as they all pulled away.

  Quickly he glanced at Lip and then Mandy who were both watching him carefully before he looked back at the rest.

  "There is a reason for that. But um I just want to say sorry first for taking off. I- I know that you all have noticed I was odd before I went away and well I was... I noticed and I thought- I got myself admitted and I have... I have bipolar," Ian got out.

  There was a long moment of silence when Ian feared that this was it, that his family would just kick him out. A moment later though Fiona moved forward and enveloped him in a tight hug, it was so welcome that he automatically wrapped his arms back around her and relaxed into it.

  "Oh Sweetface I'm sorry," she whispered before pulling back, "we'll all help you Ian, stand by you."

  Looking around he saw the nodding and general agreement of all those around him and relaxed further. He didn't know why he was worried really, they were Gallaghers and they stuck together, this disease wasn't his fault and he was going to keep this under control- especially if he was going to be a father. Speaking of... being pregnant was a whole other kettle of fish. This was his choice and they may well kick off even more, especially once they learnt there was not one but two new humans growing in him.

  "Hey so what's with the weight gain? You said there was a reason, is it the bipolar?" V asked and once again he could feel Lip and Mandy's gazes particularly strong on him.

  God he wasn't used to being centre of attention and he didn't like it. He could feel his palms sweating and he had to clench them to keep them from shaking. 

  "I'm a carrier and I'm pregnant," he said in a small voice.

  "You're... what the fuck Ian!" Fiona yelled and Ian flinched.

  "Lay off Fiona, the potential to be a parent is an amazing feeling. I wish Karen's son had been mine and now Ian's got the chance to be a dad and he's going to be great," Lip immediately stepped up to Ian's side, hand on his shoulder squeezing.

  Thank God for Lip.

  "You knew didn't you?" Fiona hissed.

  "Yeah I did. I was there when he did the test, was the one that suggested it. I was there when he was panicking about it and when he was broken up over it and when he decided to keep it and I supported him because I knew you wouldn't and you wouldn't understand!" Lip snapped back.

  "And who the hell else knows?" Fiona growled.

  "Me," Mandy spoke up.

  "Course, course, and you're going to have it? Well I hope you can pay for it,"Fiona huffed, anger draining out and that look of stress crossing over.

  "I will I promise," Ian replied.

  "So you're having a baby?" Debbie smiled, she always liked babies, even more so now that she was a teen.

  "No," he said because he had to get this last little bit out too.

  "Wait what?" Lip startled at his side.

  "Had a scan when I went to the hospital and I'm having twins," Ian said, not able to look at them as he said it.

  Needless to say there were a lot of "fucks" and "shits" exhaled in that moment.

***

  That night for the first time in weeks Ian curled up in bed besides Mandy in Frank's old room. His friend was clinging to him as if he would disappear which, fair to her, he had done before. Tonight though, he was clinging back just as hard because he needed her and her love. All evening people had been walking around him like he was going to break or just watching him out of the corner of their eyes. He hated it but Mandy hadn't done it. All he felt now was exhaustion and love for his best friend.

  "I love you Mandy, I'm so sorry," Ian whispered into her hair.

  "I love you too Ian. I don't blame you, you were ill," Mandy whispered back.

  "I'm going to stay on top of this. I need to, I won't be Monica," Ian told her then.

  "Good. I promise I'll help you Ian. I promise, I want to be there for them and for you, my family, you love me more than any Milkovich bar my mom has. Besides with you having twins it's more likely you'll have a girl," Mandy said and Ian could feel her smile against his bare skin.

  "I bet it'll be two boys just to spite you."